Device for operating car couplers



March 31, 1931. G, G.. P.N 1,798,464

DEVICE FOR OPERATING CAR COUPLERS Filed April 3. 1929 2 Sheets-Shae! l I12 0612 for Garth G. Gil in.

March 31, 1931., G G|LP|N 1,798,464

DEVICE FOR OPERATING CAR GOUPLERS Filed April 3. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 233 FWD/7 z 11 Inventor E914 E 1 Garth G. G1! 1'11 Afforney Patented Mar.31, 1931 srrss FFICE GARTI-I G. GILIIN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORTO UNION'METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE DEVICE FOR OPERATING CAR COUPLERS Application filed April 3,1929.

This invention relates to devices for operating railway car couplers,having a pivoted knuckle provided with a tail engageable with a knucklelock to which such device is operatively connected. The inventionrelates specifically to a railway car coupler having an anti-creepfeature which is so formed that the lock can be raised to an unlockedposition by the operating device, but cannot beraised by the creepingaction of the lock due to the service movements of the car. Some of suchcouplers are provided with a member mounted upon the underside of thecoupler head for transmitting operating movements to the lock. V

An object of the invention is to provide an operating rod for suchcouplers having a shank which is so formed and associated with parts ofthe car or preferably a bracket mounted on the car so as to stabilizethe rod by gravity against a rotative movement there of which wouldrelease the coupler anticreep feature.

This objectionable swinging movement of the handle is caused by theirregular movements of the train in service, particularly the quickvariations in the speed of the train.

In the drawings: v

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a typical application of my device to a railwaycar coupler.

Figs. 4 to 18 inclusive show modified forms of the device.

The car coupler 2 is resiliently mounted on the carand arranged to movelongitudinally and laterally of the car to accommodate the servicemovements thereof. For description of the operation and component partsof an ordinary coupler, reference is made to Patent No. 1,639,300 ofAugust 16, 1927, which coupler is not only typical as showing therelation of the knuckle and the look, but also shows the member 3rotatably mounted on the coupler for transmitting the operatingmovements to the lock which comprises a substantially horizontallydisposed eye 4 for re- Serial No. 352,126.

ception of a hook 5 on the operating rod 6 whereby rotation of the rodrotates the rotor member and operates the coupler.

The coupler shown in Patent N 0. 1,639,300 of August 16, 1927, alsoillustrates a typical coupler anti-creep feature wherein the lower partof the knuckle lock is provided with an obliquely positioned slot whichis engaged by the operating mechanism. The coupler head is provided witha projection which is so positioned that a part of the operatingmechanism engages it and prevents the look from creeping upwardly. Whenthe operating rod is rotated the same part of the operating mechanismmoves upwardly until it engages the upper part of the obliquelypositioned slot, in which position it is free to pass the projection onthe coupler head and raise the coupler lock.

In the preferred form of my device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 theoperating rod shank 6 rests uponv a bracket 7 which is disposed upon thecar body 8 and is provided with a portion or shelf 9 and retaining lugs10 for the operating rod. The operating rod is provided with a dependinghandle 11 adjacent the side of the car for easy operation by thetrainmen. The operating rod is also provided with a projection orlaterally extending eccentric part 13 extending toward the car and alsopreferably formed with a projection or laterally extending eccentricpart 14 projecting away from the car, which elements are normally inengagement with the shelf 9 when the coupler is in locked position so asto stabilize the rod by gravity against a ro tative movement. These sameeccentric elements tend to prevent the handle from swinging by itsinertia and thereby rotating the rod. hen the handle 11 is swungoutwardly by the trainman to operate the car coupler the weight of theouter portion of the rod (15) is shifted entirely to one of parts (13-14) and to a bearing upon the bracket 7 whereby as soon as the operaterreleases the handle the gravitational force of the rod tends to returnit to its normal position so that the abilized gainst a rotativemovement. The inertia or gravitational force of the rod also tends toprevent the rod from being raised by a swinging movement of the handle.If the handle was permitted to swing in one direction it would developan inertia force which would swing the handle in the opposite direction,therefore, it is preferable to provioe means to stabilize the rod ineither direction.

The retaining lugs 10, the handle 11 and the eccentric parts 13ll are sopositioned as to permi 'al and longitudinal movements of the coupler inseivice.

F l, and 6 show modification of the device wherein the operating rodshank 6 is flattened (90) to provide the eccentric parts, and further toshow a construction wherein the shelf 21 of the bracket is comparativelynarrow and the eccentric parts (20) on the rod are relatively long as topermit lateral movement of the coupler in service without disengagingthe eccentric parts from the shelf. The retaining bolt 22 is positionedhigh above the shelf to permit the flattened portion 29 to rotate.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show a modified form wherein an eccentric element isprovided by offsetting the shank 6 of the rod and positioning the offsetportion behind the retaining lug 26. In this modification the operatingrod has an outwardly extending portion 27 resting upon the part 9.

10, 11 and 12 show a modified construction of Figs. 7 to 9 inclusivewherein the bracket 7 provided with a depending flange to engage theverticaldepending handle 11 to further tend to restrict the inwardswinging movement of the handle.

Figs. 13, 14: and 15 show a modified form wherein the eccentric elements3233 are provided by bending the shank of the rod. The longitudinal axisof the shank 6 of the operrod is eccentric from the portion engaging theouter retaining bracket.

Figs. 16, 17 and 18 show a modified construction wherein the bracket isprovided with a vertically disposed wall 38 and the shank G of the rodis provideo with an up wardly extending eccentric portion 39. Theretaining device 40 is provided with an upwirdly inclined surface ll forsupporting the operating rod. ll hen the handle 11 is swung to rotatethe rod the upper part of the eccentric portion 39 engages the wall 38of the bracket and forces the operating rod up the inclined surface llof the retaining means, thereby aising or elevating the rod so thatgravitational force the outer portion of the operating rod added to thegravitational force of the handle, both tending to force the operatinghandle to a normal position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of theinvention, though it to be understood that the invention is not limitedto the exact details of construction shown and described, as it isobvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of theclaims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway car, an operating means for use with a coupler mountedupon the car so as to move longitudinally and laterally thereof inservice, and having a member mounted upon the coupler to move therewithand arranged to operate said coupler upon rotation thereof, comprisingan operating rod comprising a shank having its inner end operativelyconnected to said member and provided with a handle adjacent its outerend, said. shank provided with a part eccentric from the axis of theshank, a bracket mounted upon the car positioned to support said shank,said bracket provided with a bearing adjacent said part so that uponrotation of the operating rod the weight of the outer portion of the rodis shifted entirely to said part and to the bearing of said bracketwhereby upon release, the operating rod returns to normal position bygravity so that the rod is stabilized against a rotative movement.

2. In a railway car, an operating means for use with a coupler mountedupon the car so as to move longitudinally and laterally thereof inservice, and having a member mounted upon the coupler to move therewithand arranged to operate said coupler upon rotation thereof, comprisingan operating rod comprising a shank having its inner end operativelyconnected to said member and provided with a handle adjacent its outerend, said shank provided with parts eccen' tric from the axis of theshank and positioned on opposite sides thereof, a bracket mounted uponthe car positioned to support said shank, said bracket provided withbearings adjacent said parts so that upon rotation of the operating rodthe weight of the outer portion of the rod is shifted entirely to one ofsaid parts and to one of said bearings of the bracket whereby uponrelease, the operating rod returns to normal position by gravity so thatthe rod is stabilized against a rotative movement in either direction.

3. In a railway car, an operating means for use with a coupler mountedupon the car so as to move longitudinally and laterally thereof inservice, and having a member mounted upon the coupler to move therewithand arranged to operate said coupler upon rotation thereof, comprisingan operating rod comprising a shank having its inner end operativelyconnected to said member and provided with a handle adjacent its outerend, said shank provided with a part eccentric from the axis of theshank, a bracket Eli-3 mounted upon the car positioned to support saidshank, said bracket provided with a bearing adjacent said part so thatupon rotation of the operating rod the weight of the outer portion ofthe rod is shifted entirely to said part and to the bearing of saidbracket whereby upon release, the operating rod returns to normalposition by gravity so that the rod is stabilized against a rotativemovement, the portion of said bracket in engagement with said eccentricpart being relatively narrow and the said eccentric part beingrelatively long, whereby the eccentric part is in engagement with thebracket during any service movement of the coupler.

GARTH G. GILPIN.

